Why I chose experience over university

This is my 8th year in the design industry without a degree. Here’s why I chose experience over a degree.

In 2016 I’d gotten my first laptop, I was going into my second year of college and was looking at options for university.

At the university open days one thing was clear, I’d have to specialise if I wanted a degree. Illustration, Graphic Communication, Graphic Design, 2D animation, 3D animation. The list variety was great, the issue was, I wanted to learn all those things. Specialising in one area felt like I’d be missing out on so many other skills I was interested in, especially when I hadn’t even started my career yet.

All summer I was playing around in illustrator, doing online tutorials and making graphics on my new laptop. The thought of going back to college to paint and sculpt didn’t feel right after all the fun stuff I’d been learning over the holidays. So the night before my first day back I threw together a CV and whatever work I could find to put together a portfolio, and I started searching on Linkedin.

Fast forward to a month later, I’m in my Art class on a Friday afternoon and I get the call. I’ve been offered an apprenticeship at TfGM as an Artworker. That first year I found myself addicted to my laptop, I’d found my way into the industry and I was going to make the most of it. I was surrounded by a team of stupidly experienced designers who I would ask question after question and they were all more than willing to help.

A year of healthy design addiction later and I’d packed my bags and was on my way to London to start my next job as Junior Designer at Hogarth&Ogilvy. So by the time I would’ve been starting my first term at university I was working with brands like Samsung, KFC, British airways and more.

Have I been turned down from jobs because I don’t have a design degree? Well what’s great is the real reason for every rejection I’ve had is hidden behind a template email sent to everyone who applied.

So I guess we’ll never know.